


Soft Landing

by AntarcticBird



Category: Glee
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-07
Updated: 2014-12-07
Packaged: 2018-02-28 12:36:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2732798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AntarcticBird/pseuds/AntarcticBird
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's like falling, and for the first time in his life he truly understands what the expression means.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Soft Landing

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [klaineadvent](http://klaineadvent.tumblr.com/) Day 6: Fall

He moves in across the hall from Blaine when the leaves are beginning to turn, people stomping up and down the stairs carrying boxes and pieces of furniture. And Blaine, because it's a Saturday and he he has the time and because he believes in being nice, offers his help, carries some of his boxes, talks with some of his friends, and tries acting normal when in truth it's the day everything changes and he knows it.

It's like falling, and for the first time in his life he truly understands what the expression means.

He's almost thirty and he's been in and out of love and he's felt that rush of emotions that sweeps you up and spins you around and makes you feel like your feet can't touch the ground. But he's never felt this helpless. He's never thought he could like the feeling.

But then there's the new neighbor, Kurt, who keeps to himself most of the time but smiles whenever they pass each other in the hallway and holds the door open when Blaine leaves the building just as he's coming home.

They start talking as the weather gets colder, Kurt knocking on his door one Thursday night to deliver a letter addressed to Blaine that accidentally ended up in his mailbox, and Blaine gathers all of his courage and offers him a cup of tea.

From that day on, they talk when they run into each other out in the hallway, and Blaine finds himself lingering every time he unlocks the door to his place, hoping Kurt will choose that moment in time to leave his own. Sometimes he does. Most of the time, he doesn't.

And Blaine keeps thinking of him and waiting for him and hoping for him, and every smile he gets from him is his reward.

He thinks about asking him out but they don't know each other that well; he tries to draw out every conversation but he doesn't want to come on too strong.

There is nothing he can do but continue falling. Some things, once set in motion, are out of your control, a free fall that you can't steer or slow down, and all you can do is hope for a soft landing.

He lands on his ass quite hard one day in late December when he's hurrying home from work, cold and tired and just wanting a shower after the longest week ever, and he doesn't notice the patch of ice on the sidewalk. He slips, waves his arms for balance, and hits the ground ass-first with an undignified grunt.

“Fuck,” he curses, catching his breath, and dammit that hurts, that's gonna be a bruise...

“Are you okay?”

He looks up, and of course there's Kurt, grocery bags in his arms, his face worried as he stares down at Blaine.

“I'm … fine,” he says, shrugging his shoulders, embarrassed. Of _course_ Kurt saw that. “Just a little humiliated.”

“Why?” Kurt asks, frowning. “I slipped on the same patch of ice yesterday. I meant to warn you, but you were so fast -”

“Oh.”

“Wait, hold on.” Kurt shuffles his bags to hold them with one arm, extends a hand for Blaine. “Here, let me -”

“...Thanks,” Blaine mumbles, blushes dark red, and takes the hand offered to him.

“Actually,” Kurt says, once Blaine stands before him. “I just made cookies earlier today and I've heard that sugar can definitely help healing a bruised ego. If you'd … like some?”

Blaine groans, straightens his spine, closes his eyes for a second. “Does it also help healing a bruised backside?” he asks, then feels his face _burning_ with embarrassment as the words sink in. “Um, I mean -”

Kurt laughs, his eyes crinkling adorably at the corners, his own cheeks an attractive shade of crimson. “Actually, I'd recommend ice for that. Which I don't have, unfortunately.”

Blaine opens and closes his mouth, not sure what to say. “No, of course not, I mean, I just, I didn't -”

“Would you maybe like a cup of coffee instead?” Kurt offers, eyes lowered almost shyly, a small, hopeful smile barely visible on his face.

Blaine tries to calm the insane pounding of his heart, every cell in his body yearning for this man alight with new hope, new happiness. “Can I invite you over to my place, though?” he asks. “You know, to say thank you.”

“I'll bring the cookies,” Kurt agrees, and Blaine doesn't mind falling as long as this is what happens after the landing.


End file.
